AUTUMN 2017

Competition & giveawaySpot the difference and win a Gaelic t-shirt

£1bn City Region DealWhy it really is such a big deal for the University

Learning in focusA new regular feature to highlight teaching news

Summer graduationsThe famous names among our newest graduates

STAFF MAGAZINE

bulletin

International EdinburghCelebrating our global staff

2 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

welcome

Welcome to a new, slimmer version of bulletin, which we will now be publishing quarterly instead of twice a year. We hope you enjoy getting a more frequent and up-to-date summary of news and events at the University, and in an even more digestible format.

Edinburgh has always been an international university, drawing staff and students alike from all over the world. On

pages 10 and 11, we give a flavour of the truly global diversity of our colleagues.

The much-anticipated Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Deal was announced in July, and is a massive boost for

the region economically, socially and culturally. As part of our news update beginning on page 3, we summarise the

benefits this brings to the University and the city.

The quality of our teaching is vital to our success and standing as an institute of learning excellence, so bulletin will

feature a new Learning in Focus section to complement Research in Focus. On page 7, we begin by outlining the

plans and progress to date of the University’s ambitious lecture recording programme.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among several high-profile figures to receive an honorary degree in the

newly refurbished McEwan Hall this summer. On page 5 you can read about the inspiring advice he passed on to our

newest graduates.

8 If you would like to to submit ideas or feedback to bulletin, please contact us at bulletin@ed.ac.uk or 0131 650 9747.

For regular updates, visit Staff News at www.ed.ac.uk/news/staff and follow us on Twitter @EdinUniStaffCov

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New College re-illuminated

New exterior lighting has been installed at New College as

part of a programme which sees essential repairs to the stonework, as well as improvements to the main entrance.

New College opened in 1846, and its location and towering dimensions make it one of the most iconic structures among the many in Edinburgh. It was left in the dark for some years after the old lighting became inoperative, but thanks to the generosity of a former student, Dr Robert Funk, the historic structure will once again stand proudly illuminated on the Mound by night.

The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 3

university update

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University in £1bn City Region Deal

The University is to be a key partner in a major new initiative to transform the region into a digital

powerhouse as part of the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal announced in July.

Under the agreement, significant investment from the UK and Scottish Governments will be provided for major infrastructure projects in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders.

The University will work with local authorities, schools and employers across the region to create the workforce of the future by supporting a massive increase in the provision of data skills.

It will also develop and encourage new entrepreneurs to form high-growth companies, and it will engage with existing companies and the public sector to apply data expertise to help deliver high-quality products and services.

Over 10 years, the University and its partners will train 100,000 people in the application of data across the region’s major industry sectors. It will seek to equip young people from all backgrounds to succeed in the digital economy, to enable them to develop the skills to better use and apply data in their personal and working lives.

Damian Green, First Secretary of State, enjoys a demonstration of research at the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics – a joint venture involving the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University – following the announcement of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. He is pictured with the University’s Senior Vice-Principal, Charlie Jeffery.

In the UK, the digital and data economy is growing two to three times faster than the economy as a whole.

Transforming livesData has become an increasingly valuable asset and a key driver of the 21st century economy. It has the potential to transform public and private organisations and drive developments that improve lives.

In Scotland, data analysis has already driven improvements in care for patients with diabetes, resulting in a 40 per cent reduction in amputation rates and blindness.

In the UK, the digital and data economy is growing two to three times faster than the economy as a whole. Early adoption of data-driven innovation may help offset the decline in some traditional sectors of the economy.

Impacting societyThe vital, emerging discipline of data science impacts on many areas of life, including health and social care, agriculture and robotics, as well as public services, finance, tourism and the creative industries.

Examples of programme activity could include enhancing the experience of visitors to city festivals, and improving the local environment by capturing real-time data relating to air and water quality, noise and congestion.

It could also support new high growth areas of the economy – such as the fintech sector – through our latest research, and improve the wellbeing and care of those with long-term health problems.

With the University at its centre, the City Region Deal’s data driven innovation (DDI) programme will give businesses and people in Edinburgh and its surrounding areas maximum advantage in the data revolution.

The DDI programme will also help people in the wider community to understand

the benefits and challenges associated with the use of data, enabling them to make use of novel public and commercial services.

The City Region Deal follows a recent science and innovation audit commissioned by the UK Government. It said that, with the right funding, the Edinburgh city region could become the global destination of choice for organisations that provide services through the application of data science.

The audit highlighted the area’s world-class strengths in digital industries and its ability to grow high-value digital companies, such as Skyscanner and FanDuel, as a strong basis for development.

4 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

university update

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Accessibility on campusThe University and disability organisation DisabledGo have created online guides giving detailed building accessibility information to staff, students and visitors. These cover teaching rooms, lecture theatres, meeting rooms, cafes and toilets, and each venue listed has been visited and assessed by a DisabledGo surveyor.

We are also working with DisabledGo to create a mobile app called AccessAble-UoE, on both iOS and Android, to be launched later in the year. The app will use symbols, photos and descriptions to give its users instant access to information about ramps, lifts and accessible toilets. Handy features will include Find a Loo, showing the nearest accessible toilet on campus, MyWayToGo directing you to a chosen accessible place on campus, and FindMeNow, which sends your GPS location to your chosen emergency contact by email or SMS.

8 www.disabledgo.com/organisations/the-university-of-edinburgh

In June, the Chaplaincy led a sponsored walk to raise funds and heighten awareness of the importance of the University offering sanctuary and welcome to refugees. Journeying with six Syrian refugees, a group of around 50 staff, students and members of the public made their way from Edinburgh to St Bridget’s Church in Fife and Inchcolm Abbey before returning to the Scottish Parliament for speeches. At Holyrood, the University was awarded a certificate recognising it as a University of Sanctuary, the first award of its kind in Scotland.

The sponsored walk raised £10,500 which, matched by a donation from the University’s Scholarship Office, makes it possible for two refugees to study here fully supported for a year, and for others to benefit from online education.

8 www.ed.ac.uk/chaplaincy/sanctuary-walk-for-refugees

Green ideas fundThe Sustainable Campus Fund is a way for any member of staff or student at the University to propose projects that could reduce our impact on the environment, helping us to become zero carbon by 2040.

The fund is delivered by Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) in partnership with Estates, and provides financing to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy or other sustainability projects that generate cost savings.

All staff and students are encouraged to propose projects for the fund. Once an idea is proposed, SRS will advise and support its development before submitting it to the utilities working group for approval.

8 To find out more or register your interest, visit the programmes section at www.ed.ac.uk/about/sustainability

New focus on local engagementContributing locally is a key development theme for the University, and a community engagement strategy has been developed to build on the excellent work we do across Edinburgh, where we see strong relationships with the local community as key to our success.

A dedicated community engagement team has now been formed, which is undertaking a relationship-mapping exercise ahead of a launch event and a new ‘Edinburgh Local’ hub on the main website.

More news will follow but in the meantime, staff are encouraged to get in touch to tell us about any community engagement work they are, or would like to be, involved with.

8 local@ed.ac.uk

University of Sanctuary

Free video learning with lynda.com

An on-demand learning resource with more than 5,000 courses has been made freely available to

University staff and students.

lynda.com is an online video subscription library that teaches the latest digital, technology, creative and business skills.

The University has a three-year campus-wide licence, offering staff and students unlimited access to the service via the web and mobile apps.

lynda.com provides in-depth subject detail and caters for all levels from beginner to expert. Courses are made up of short video modules, so you can learn either an entire topic or programme from start to finish, or just a specific task.

8 www.ed.ac.uk/is/lynda

The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 5

university update

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Honorary degree for Canadian PM

The Prime Minister of Canada, The Rt Hon Justin Trudeau, was awarded an honorary degree at the

University during the July graduations.

He received the degree of Doctor honoris causa at the newly refurbished McEwan Hall on 5 July, in recognition of his achievements as a public servant with strong commitments to equality and diversity.

Mr Trudeau encouraged the graduating students to learn from their failures as well as their successes as they embarked on life after university. He urged them to be bold, brave, and open to the incredible opportunities in front of them. “If something excites you a lot and scares you a little, you should probably do it,” he told them.

Other public figures receiving honorary degrees this summer included film director Oliver Stone, Kelpies sculptor Andy Scott, science presenter Dr Michael Mosley and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Funding is available for all staff, whether academic or professional services, to spend a week teaching or training abroad in and beyond Europe.

This can be for academic teaching, or for training and career development activities such as workshop and staff training events, job-shadowing counterparts at another institution or developing your professional skills at an intercultural, international staff week.

Funding is available now for teaching and training visits taking place until 30 September 2018. Funds are limited, so please apply as early as possible.

8 For more information and to apply, register on the Go Abroad mailing list by visiting www.ed.ac.uk/go-abroad/staff-mobility

Go Abroad funding for staff

Mentoring Connections is a University-wide mentoring programme run by Human Resources and the Institute for Academic Development, which has matched more than 500 partnerships since it began in 2014. Previously, the number of available mentors has been less than the number of interested mentees, so this year staff from all grades across the University are invited to sign up to be a mentor.

If you are interested in helping or giving something back to another colleague, then mentoring is a great way to do this. No experience of mentoring is required, and previous mentors have found the process very rewarding.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 December. HR will start to communicate possible matches in January 2018, and will contact all interested applicants by 16 February.

8 To find out more please visit www.ed.ac.uk/hr/mentoring-connections or email mentoring@ed.ac.uk

Call for new mentors

The University has won two awards for its involvement in the Deep Time event at last year’s Festival, which involved a spectacular animated light show on Edinburgh Castle that took thousands of spectators on a journey through 350 million years of the city’s history. It

won a Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Europe, and a silver award at the Heist Marketing Awards, where the project was described as ‘simply stunning’.

Communications and marketing awards

The Rt Hon Justin Trudeau

Oliver Stone Andy Scott Dr Michael MosleyChimamanda Ngozi Adichie

6 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

research in focus

University scientists will pool their expertise in a new facility to tackle one of the biggest health challenges facing society – the ability of common infections to resist drug treatment.

A £411,000 award from the Garfield Weston Foundation will support the creation of the facility, to be housed in the refurbished Darwin Building at King's Buildings. The building will feature nine floors of labs and suites of analytical equipment, with an open-plan element of design to foster collaboration.

Dozens of researchers and their collaborators around the world will work to aid scientific knowledge and understanding of resistance to antibiotic or antiviral treatments – collectively known as antimicrobial resistance – in people and animals.

They will aim to help develop fast diagnostic tests for infection, to improve how drugs are prescribed, and to develop new vaccines and alternative treatments for infection.

research in focus

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New lab to fight superbugs

£7m for lung disease research

A new global research unit for respiratory health is to be established at the University using

funding from the National Institute for Health Research.

The unit will be called RESPIRE and will be based in the Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics. It has received £7 million to launch a research initiative focused on reducing the impact of lung diseases worldwide. The research aims to cut death rates from conditions that affect breathing, and to reduce the impact these illnesses have on people’s daily lives.

Teams will investigate infectious diseases such as pneumonia, as well as long-term illnesses including asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive lung disease.

Researchers are working with groups in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan to identify key challenges in these areas and to ensure potential interventions are

fit for purpose around the world. They are also setting up training programmes to equip research teams in these four countries with the skills needed to carry out high-quality research in respiratory illnesses.

Respiratory diseases are responsible for one in five deaths in South Asia, and new approaches are urgently needed to tackle the problem.

Learning with music can develop brainUsing musical cues to learn a physical task significantly develops an important part of the brain, according to a new interdisciplinary study involving the University’s Institute for Music in Human and Social Development, Clinical Research Imaging Centre, and Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences.

The study found that people who practised a basic movement task to music showed increased structural connectivity between the regions of the brain that process sound and control movement.

The findings could have positive implications for future research into rehabilitation for patients who have lost some degree of movement control, such as after a stroke.

Delving into NeptuneScientists in the School of Physics & Astronomy have helped solve the mystery of what lies beneath the surface of Neptune, the most distant planet in our solar system.

Working in collaboration with Jilin University, China, they used computer modelling to run simulations of the planet’s extreme temperatures and pressures. They found that frozen mixtures of water and ammonia inside Neptune – and other so-called ice giants

like Uranus – likely form a little-studied compound called ammonia hemihydrate. The findings will influence how ice giants are studied in future and could help astronomers classify newly discovered planets as they look deeper into space.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 7

teaching matters

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Lecture recording programme

The University is rolling out lecture recording at scale to enhance student satisfaction with learning

resources and meet the requirements of accessible and inclusive learning practices.

The new lecture recording service, called Media Hopper Replay, will be available in around 90 per cent of our core teaching spaces when fully installed over the next three years. The service is being supplied by Echo360, a market leader in the provision of lecture recording in educational institutions.

Replay is already available in 114 core teaching spaces, and existing software and audio-visual equipment has been replaced and upgraded. During this initial transition period, all existing policies and support for ‘opt-in use’ remain in place while consultation is underway on the development of a new policy.

I use lecture recording to supplement my notes. I find it really helpful to revisit difficult concepts. It’s also really important for accessibility.Karoline Nanfeldt 4th year Psychology student

I feel my teaching and interaction with students has improved as I use less of

my time going over material and more time discussing branch-out ideas.

Dr Steve Loughan Reader, Department of Psychology

teaching in focus

Last winter, conservation science staff and students from Geosciences visited the Cairngorms – an area containing the highest, coldest, and snowiest plateau anywhere in the British Isles and which boasts five of the six highest mountains in the UK. A short video of the trip, which provided a unique learning opportunity, is now available.

8 www.ed.ac.uk/staff/teaching-matters/video-highlights

Learning in the wilderness

New course open to all first yearsBiomedical Sciences has developed two new courses designed to help first-year undergraduates become more autonomous learners, one of which is open to students of all disciplines. Our Changing World is based on the public lecture series of the same name, and examines the relevance and impact of students’ own discipline on society’s global challenges. The course aims to help students develop key skills and graduate attributes such as the critical thinking and effective communication.

New teaching design processThe Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security has used the new ELDeR (Edinburgh Learning Design Roadmap) workshop process to design degrees in agricultural science for academic year 2018. The ELDeR approach has been piloted successfully in several University programmes since 2015, and reflects a new approach of teachers as designers of learning experiences rather than just distributors of knowledge.

8 www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk

The next stage of the roll-out will expand the service, increasing the number of enabled general teaching spaces to 300 by the start of the 2018/19 academic year. When roll-out is complete in academic year 2019/20, the total number of rooms equipped to deliver lecture recording will be 400.

The programme is also providing funds to the Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme across multiple years to allow staff to run small research projects to measure the impact of the roll-out in their areas.

Replay presents exciting opportunities for us to build on our strengths in digital education both in learning and teaching practice, and research.

8 To find out more or sign up for the programme newsletter, visit www.wiki.ed.ac.uk and search for ‘Lecture Recording Programme’.

To book a training session, visit and search the MyEd event booking channel at www.events.ed.ac.uk

8 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

photo story

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Instagram magic

Our Instagram account has grown impressively since it was set up in May 2016, and now boasts 23,000 followers. Here are some of our favourite images of life in the city and at the University as captured by our staff and students.

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The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 9

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1 William Dick statue at Easter Bush2 Main Library3 The Scott Monument4 Edinburgh from the south5 The King’s Buildings 6 George Square Gardens labyrinth7 Old College Quad 8 The Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library 9 The Vennel 10 The Meadows11 McEwan Hall12 New College

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10 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

cover story

International EdinburghWe are one of the most international universities in the world. Here, some of our many colleagues from across the globe say why they were drawn to Edinburgh.

The first time I came here the cherry-blossoms were out and the stone skyline of the old town seemed to float above the gardens.

Ariadne Cass-MaranQueensland, AustraliaStudent Digital Communications Officer, School of Biomedical Sciences

I like Edinburgh because it’s like a three-dimensional puzzle, because you can always take a wormhole-like shortcut up a cliff face. The first time I came here the cherry-blossoms were out and the stone skyline of the Old Town seemed to float above the gardens, making me, of course, fall in love with it and decide to live here.

Noor Aznizam Bin Abdul AlimKuala Lumpur, Malaysia Facilities Assistant

I love working at the University. Here, everything is very positive. The University looks after the wellbeing of its staff, and I’m pleased to be able to meet people and make friends from all over the world.

Professor Francisca MutapiZimbabweChair of Global Health Infection and Immunity

Edinburgh is a wonderful place. It really has a very good global outlook. Forty-one per cent of our students come from overseas, so it’s a fantastic mix of international expertise very close together. Success attracts success, and we are one of the top 20 universities in the world for biomedical sciences.

Dr Arne KruseSmøla, NorwaySenior Lecturer in Scandinavian Studies

I work at the Department of European Literatures and Cultures, where each of us is a kind of cultural ambassador with a mission to inspire students and further the knowledge of our representative cultures. That’s what my working environment is like: inspiring.

Professor Lara Ryazanova ClarkeSt Petersburg, RussiaChair of Russian and Sociolinguistics

I like the University’s inclusiveness and its international outlook. Edinburgh is a fine city, one of the best in the world, and not unlike my home city of St Petersburg.

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The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 11

International Edinburgh

Buyu LiuSichuan Province, ChinaResearch Associate, School of Informatics

For me, the most attractive feature of the University is its atmosphere. The admin staff are nice and helpful. Colleagues are smart and supportive. Come tough times, our group members come together to deal with whatever problems are out there.

Genevieve PartenaudeQuebec, CanadaSenior Lecturer in Forests and Carbon Management, School of GeoSciences

The University is a great workplace where colleagues are diverse people from all over the world, and it’s easy to make connections across areas and departments. And it’s a great quality of life in Edinburgh. I don’t need a car to commute – I can walk or cycle anywhere, and wild places are so close. The Pentland Hills are only 20 minutes by bike.

Medhat KhattarUK/LebanonTeaching Fellow, School of Biomedical Sciences

What I like most about the University is it’s such a big organisation with the potential for anything – a place where ideas can become reality. And the city itself is incredibly beautiful and inspiring – open to the world but not lost in it.

Professor Pankaj PankajIndiaPersonal Chair of Computational Biomechanics, International Dean for South Asia

Edinburgh is a truly global university and I love working with talented colleagues and students from around the globe. The University has enabled me to explore new ideas and new areas – I came here as a civil engineer and now my research focus is biomedical engineering. And there is no other city in the world that I would rather live in.

Peter HayakawaPhiladelphia, USAProcurement Policy Officer

The University is a great place to work. There are a huge variety of activities and I like the public interest nature of my role. Edinburgh’s an excellent city to work in. It’s very cosmopolitan, a manageable size, and a beautiful place.

Sole Garcia FerrariUruguaySenior Lecturer in Architectural Design, International Dean for Latin America

I enjoy working for such an international university where a range of opportunities for research and teaching addressing challenges across the world are constantly emerging, and where knowledge is created as a result of innovative approaches across different disciplines.

A place where ideas can become reality… open to the world but not lost in it.

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12 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

people news

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Queen’s birthday honoursFour current or former members of University staff have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

Dr Colin Adams, former Director of Commercialisation in the School of Informatics and Director of Informatics Ventures, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Professor John Moore, Professor of Political Economy in the School of Economics has also been made a CBE for his services to economics.

Professor Polly Arnold, Crum Brown Chair of Chemistry, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Chemistry and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Mrs Margaret K Ross, Senior Lecturer for Dental Care Professionals and Programme Director for the BSc (Hons) Oral Health Sciences, is also made an OBE for services to dentistry.

The awards have been given as part of celebrations marking the Queen’s 91st birthday.

Staff changes at Medicine & Veterinary Medicine

Professor Sir John Savill will be stepping down from the role of Vice-Principal and Head of College

at the end of June 2018, taking on new responsibilities as the Regius Professor of Medical Science full time.

Professor David Argyle is interim Head of College as of 1 September 2017 alongside his continuing role as Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, formerly Director of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine and of Edinburgh Neuroscience, succeeded Professor Brian

Walker as Dean of Research in July for four years in the first instance.

In other changes, Professor Brian Walker has been appointed Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research at Newcastle University, while Professor Bruce Whitelaw will be succeeding Professor Andrew Morris as Chair of Edinburgh Genomics from this summer.

As of 1 August 2017, Professor Andrew Morris has taken up his role as the inaugural Director of Health Data Research UK, a new flagship institute for health and biomedical informatics research.

Professor Sir John Savill Professor David ArgyleProfessor Charles ffrench-Constant

Professor Jo Shaw has been given a lifetime achievement award for her dedication to developing the study of Europe. Professor Shaw received the award from the Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES), in Krakow on 5 September. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the development of European Studies as a discipline.

Professor Shaw also holds the Salvesen Chair of European Institutions at Edinburgh Law School and was until recently the head of the University’s Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities.

She has been succeeded in that role by Professor Steven Yearley, who took up the post on 1 August. Professor Yearley

Lifetime achievement award

joined the University in 2005 as Professor of the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge, and from 2006 to 2013, was Director of the ESRC Genomics Policy & Research Forum.

people news

The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 13

people news

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New Director of Student Wellbeing

Professor Melissa Terras will take up the University’s new Chair of Digital Cultural Heritage in October. She joins from University College London where she has been Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities since 2011. This appointment strengthens the University’s commitment to applying data science, in this case to address questions related to culture and society.

Professor Terras will develop training and degree programmes, and support staff and students in using digital techniques in research and teaching.

Andy Shanks became the University’s first Director of Student Wellbeing on 1 August, a key appointment in our commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience.

Andy’s remit includes responsibility for the Counselling Service, the Student Disability Service, the Chaplaincy and the University Pharmacy, and for relationships with the University Health Centre. He has extensive experience of managing and improving dispersed, large-scale and high-volume services, and of working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve change and service enhancements.

Andy was Head of Social Care for the Older People’s Directorate at the South London and Maudsley Mental Health Trust, and more recently was South West Locality Manager at the City of Edinburgh Council, with responsibility for the delivery of integrated, health and social care services in that area of the city.

The University is pleased to announce four new senior appointments over the summer months. Professor Martin Hogg is now Head of Edinburgh Law School, Professor Wendy Loretto is Head of the Business School, Professor Linda McKie is

Head of the School of Social Political Science, and Professor Tim Worrall is Head of the School of Economics. Professors Hogg, Loretto and Worrall were all formerly deputy heads of their respective schools, and Professor McKie, who takes office on 1 October, was formerly Head of the School of Applied Social Science at the University of Durham.

New Heads of School

New Chair of Digital Cultural Heritage

Professor Martin Hogg Professor Wendy Loretto

Professor Linda McKie Professor Tim Worrall

Honorary professorshipRenowned Chinese economist, Professor Li Yining, has been awarded an Honorary Professorship by the University’s Business School for his contribution to China’s economic reforms since the 1980s.

14 bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

health & wellbeing

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Staff gym memberships for 2017/18 are now available at Sport & Exercise from only £18 a month. With an array of world-class workout spaces and more than100 classes a week, there really is something for everybody at Sport & Exercise.

8 Join online at www.sport.ed.ac.uk or at the Pleasance Sports Complex & Gym today.

The Make Your Move Pedometer Challenge has been taking place across Sport & Exercise and Estates this summer. Its next stop will be Information Services. The initiative is part of Sport & Exercise’s Healthy University Project, with the

aim of encouraging physical activity and active travel, as well as their associated positive effects, including a healthy body and mind and reducing our carbon footprint through active travel. Due to all these benefits, it has also been submitted for a Gold Award at the University’s Sustainability Awards.

We spoke to a couple of participants to find out about their experiences:

The University is on the move

Name: Zoe StephensRole: Change Management Adviser, Estates

Zoe says: “The Estates Pedometer Challenge has just finished and it has been a fantastic success. For a large department with staff across all campuses, it has been a great way to bring different staff groups together, as one team, sharing a fun activity at work. Staff also report that colleagues have been getting up and talking more, in order to get more steps in, and this has had a positive impact on working relationships and reducing email traffic. Walking 33,730 miles between us has been a brilliant achievement and I am already looking forward to next year’s challenge.”

Since 4 September the Pleasance Gym is now open from 6am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 8pm at weekends.

8 www.sport.ed.ac.uk

health & wellbeing

Name: George WhittakerRole: Area Cleaning Supervisor (Estates/Sport & Exercise)

George says: “I found the challenge benefitted my health – I lost nearly 7kg! I used to not do a lot after work but my teammates inspired me to become more active after work. As a result, not only have I lost weight but I also feel better within myself. I would definitely recommend others to try the challenge!”

It has been a great way to bring different staff groups together, as one team, sharing a fun activity at work.

8 If your department is interested in participating in the Make Your Move Challenge or wider health initiatives, email healthyuniversity@ed.ac.uk

Longer gym opening hours

2017/18 staff gym memberships

The University of Edinburgh staff magazine bulletin AUTUMN 2017 15

my nine-to-five

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Please explain your job in a nutshellI support the implementation of the University’s Gaelic Plan, and I do other activities around Gaelic at the University. For example, I run Gaelic events, a Gaelic version of the Edinburgh Award for students engaged in Gaelic outreach, and a Gaelic conversation circle in the community.

Bria Mason is the University’s Gaelic Officer. bulletin says ‘ciamar a tha thu’ or ‘how are you?’

Get organised…Desk: organised or a beautiful mess?It goes in a cycle. I clean it dramatically until it gradually gets messy again, and then I do a massive clean again.

Routine, or take it as it comes? Take it as it comes. That matters in my job because I spin a lot of plates and something always changes.

Are you a list person?Yes, absolutely – that’s how I keep track of my plates.

Daily staples?Good coffee and fresh air.

Favourite lunch spots?Brunch, which has just opened up on George IV Bridge.

…and now relaxFavourite pastimes?Cycling, swimming, knitting, singing and language learning – French, Breton and Irish at the moment.

Best time of year, and why?October – I love Hallowe’en. In the US, where I come from, everyone’s door is open and people come together as a community. The weather is amazing, and it’s a fresh start. There’s a back-to-school fresh-notebooks feel to it. Plus, The Monster Mash is just an amazing song!

Perfect Sunday afternoon?Coffee and a museum with a friend.

Ideal holiday?I’d love to go back to the Faroe Islands. I was there a couple of years ago, and I loved it. It’s hard to describe. It sounds cheesy, but it had a magical feel to it. A really special landscape – and I got to do chain dancing (pictured left), which is a type of traditional dance they do while singing ballads, and it’s one of the few places in Europe where that survives.

8 If you would like to take part in a one-hour Gaelic taster session or find out more about the University’s Gaelic activities, please contact Bria.Mason@ed.ac.uk

What are your main goals?Everything I do contributes towards raising the profile of Gaelic at the University and creating opportunities for its use.

What projects are you working on at the moment?My main project right now is the Edinburgh Gaelic Festival which takes place in November each year. I work with a group of volunteers from across the city to put on a week-long festival celebrating Gaelic’s place in Edinburgh.

Who do you deal with week to week?I work with colleagues and students across the University, and I also liaise with others who support Gaelic in the city and nationally.

Please describe a typical dayThere’s no such thing for me. Depending on the day, I might be running an event, leading a Gaelic taster session, in meetings or writing a report.

What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?Getting to do work that I really care about and to see both individuals and the community benefit from it. I’m lucky to have a career that’s incredibly relevant to what I studied.

Faroese Chain Dance in Sjonleikarhusid on Olavsoka.

my nine-to-five

bulletin AUTUMN 2017 The University of Edinburgh staff magazine

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Published byCommunications and Marketing

Printed by J Thomson Colour Printers

This publication is available in alternative formats on request. Please contact communications.office@ed.ac.uk

© The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Circle the five differences in the two images above and send your entry to us by Friday 17 November to be included in our prize draw for a Gaelic t-shirt. The competition is open to all University staff.

The winner of last issue’s Virgin Money Fireworks Concert tickets was Jill Timmins in Economics, with runners-up prizes of cabaret tickets won by Rizwaan Akhtar in Finance and Nicole Luu in Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences.

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